REALISATION.

Otaki Mail, 10 February 1922, Page 3

REALISATION.

Chapter 32, Continued)

By If. J. Kydcr.

I Now, ladies and gentlemen, when a I ship gets into distress at sea what does the captain always call for. Why, vol- ' unteers, came from the crowd. .Just !so to save the ship. Now, the ship of civilisation is at stake, and I am calling to you for a voluntary unity of all unions to join the one big union to- be known as the V.S.U. for good. What , ever does V.S.U. stand for, Mr Jones. Well, y stands for volunteer, S stands for snow ball, for 1 presume you all know the more you roll a snow bull the larger and larger it becomes, ami U is for "unity with the words Ui.dcr neath for good. Oh, Air Jones, that would be a union worth lighting lor, said mother. Well, mother, if 1 thought k such a union was not wanted 1 would not have given it that title; just you think of such a union, for a union oj this sort has never been thought ot. What's your object in getting this lovely idea going, Mr Jones. Just became I see like the captain u-t sua, .1 see the Btorm approaching and J. wan the people to be prepared xor cut storm when it comes, for I teli you, ;,. dies and gentlemen, the ship of civ.i..s atiou is at stake to-day. What iuuko you think that, Mr. Jones. Oh, it's 5... simple to see this great storm coming when one thinks double deep. For you all know that finance (money) is the butt of the universe, and if we want lo alter our mode of living conditions we have got to do it through finance, anu when we realise that everyone, including the parsons, make money our goo its quite easy to see the' great stoin. coming. We all know from history and science that the world lias had a set back at one time, and no one know.. what was tlie cause of that set back Now, I am sure if you think deep you will agree with me that it is quite pro bable that the set back came through industrial strife, more so than religion' strife. By George, Mr Jones, that L quite feasible, said our friend the little man, and it's now that 1 am get-j ting more and more interested as you go along. Well, sir. let me tell you that there is just twice the responsibili ' ty rests on your shoulders to what thenis upon the poor man. No, no, Mr J Jones just equal. Pardon me, sir, just j double, and if you will permit me I .will explain. Now, the poor man only has his life at stake, and owing to tin 1 •miserable conditions that he lives under often times his life is hardly worth living, more especially when ho has sickness in his home. While you have .your life and your money and the con ditions under which you live are very much more pleasant than his, tor if you have illness in your home you can afford to get help in to look after the sick. So could the poor man if he' took care of his money. Only to a certain extent, sir, but you must bear in mind that if we were all rich then, as X have already told you, we would sureily perish. And, what is more, we must [never forget that it takes all sorts to I make up the world, and anyone that , thinks soon realises' that we have some of all sorts. To be sure we have, and lit's a pity that we had not-more of lyour sort, Mr Jones. Oh, I am no I saint, and have I not told you that 1, too, like David, have been blind for the last -10 years, and considering it has taken me-JO years to open my eyes you

can certainly see 1 have nothing'

crow about. That may be so. Mr Jones, but now that you have opened them you have opened, them in earnest. That is so, I am doing my best. feli/J I wan? you in turn to do the same. Well, if we don't it will be no fault of yours, said mother. Wall, mother. I must re mind you of the old adage, "you may lead a horse to water, but you eaunot make him drink." And although 1 can tell you to think I cannot make you think you must do that yourselves. But, Mr Jones, cannot you suggest •something that will so interest us workers that it will make us think, said a stranger. Now, sir. you have put your I finger right on the spot. For if a vol-! unteer union that is out for good, and good only, for both, rich and poor alike. and one that wants to see the time when our workers only have to « oik :t | half day each day of the week except j Sunday that should make them think, j What is that, Mr Jones, a half day's work each day; why the rich people j will go mad if you talk like thai, j What about the H.C.L. Mr Jones under 3 those conditions? Oh. they will be all right. For heaven's sake tell us how "it's going to be done. Done just as simple as (.David said to Harry falling off a log. We have got to get to work in a systematic manner, that's all. and now keep your hair on when I tell you that David and I have been, blind for 40 years. That's bad enough, but what will you say when I tell you the people of the* world have been mad for just 1921 years.' Oh goodness,- Mr Jones, what will you tell us nest. Well, the next little bit of news I have for you is this we must tiy as hard to bring ' wages down as we have tried to pur I them' up. At that theie was a great I uproar, aud stamping and hooting was the order of the hall. But Mr Jones had a great knack 'of keeping them . spell bound. Hush, ladies s-nd gentlemen, until I tell you.-.rhai; happenecL,to the first man who said the world was round? Why they put his eyes out, and in.the olden days when anyone saw something great and new they tied him W a stake, called him a witch, and burnt him to death. Xow. if 1' was a cocktail, I would b,e afraid to stand here and tell you that to your wr.ges is the way to bring your' salvation. What rot, said someone. This retort brought mother to her fee.! j when she said she hoped that one and all would recognise that they must not j interrupt, and went on to say so far,; as Mr Jones htid gone lie had made ev- | erything so clear that everyone could"'] understand him and that she had no -• doubt that if the last speaker gave Mr

Jones time he would do' so iu this case. ;She also said that, it had been the first ; interruption and that she hoped it, would be the last. Now, 1 realise thatafter approximately 2,000 years of folly and blindness that 1 have no easy task to perform. All-the same I am confluent that I can do so. And if you do, Air Jones, to our entire satisfaction then those that do not join the V.S.U. don't want to mend their ways whether they be rich or poor, said the little man, and for the life of me I don't know how you are going to do it. Well, it's getting pretty, late and I recognise I have_ a big task in front of me. lam going to suggest that you give me a spell and give mfi a week to get ready for this ;reat task, and if yon think of all the .ard- things 1. have told you to-night ~ ou will be all the better prepared this night week. There is a few seats unfiled, and 1 trust 1 shall see them all .illed this night week, so good-night. (To bo Continued).